Night's Promise(106)
With her preternatural vision, she could see three young men crouched in the doorway, passing a bottle back and forth between them.
One of the men looked up, his eyes widening when he saw her.
Muttering, “Oh, crap!” Sheree tried to dissolve into mist, and when that failed, she whirled around and ran back the way she’d come.
And slammed into Derek.
His arms went around her. “Where the hell did you think you were going?”
“Away from you.” She glanced over her shoulder.
“Don’t worry, they’re too drunk to come after you.”
“Just take me home.”
“Dammit, Sheree, I’m sorry you’re so unhappy, but I’m not sorry for what I did.”
She stared up at him, mute.
Blowing out a sigh, he transported the two of them back to his car, drove her to his house. And left her there without a word.
Alone in his bed, she cried herself to sleep, wishing she had never left Philadelphia.
Chapter Forty-Four
The next two weeks were the most miserable of Sheree’s life. She never saw Derek, though she sometimes sensed his presence. She thought about going to her own house, but something kept her in Sacramento.
She slept through the days, hunted in the evening, and tried not to think about Pearl, afraid that Derek would read her thoughts and try to stop her.
Where was Derek staying? Was he spending his days at Mara’s? Would he come back here if she left? She glanced at the gaily wrapped gifts stacked in the corner. They hadn’t opened the presents the night of the wedding; at some point, Derek had dropped them off at the house. She had no interest in any of them.
She had no interest in anything except being human again.
She was curled up on the sofa, trying to watch one of the old Iron Man movies, when someone knocked on the door.
When she opened it, a young man dressed all in black stood on the porch.
“Are you Sheree Blackwood?” he asked.
“Yes. Who are you?”
“Here.” He thrust an envelope into her hand, and disappeared from sight.
After closing the door, Sheree opened the envelope and removed a sheet of paper. All it said was, “Meet me tomorrow night at Maxie’s Dress Shop in the mall on 7th Street. 8 P.M. Tell no one.”
After reading the note, she burned it in the fireplace.
Sheree took a cab to the mall, glancing over her shoulder all the way, but there was no sign of Derek. She checked again before entering the mall, then hurried up to the second floor. It took her a moment to find Pearl. Instead of her usual flamboyant attire, the woman was wearing blue jeans, a gray windbreaker, and a blond wig.
Talk about cloak-and-dagger, Sheree thought.
“Here it is.” Pearl glanced around, assuring herself they were alone before pressing a small bottle filled with dark red liquid into Sheree’s hand. “Drink it before you go to bed tonight. When you wake up tomorrow night, you should be mortal again.”
“Should be?”
“There’s no guarantee. Edna and I tested it on three newly made vampires. All reverted back to their humanity.”
“That’s great!”
“So it would seem. But Edna and I turned the three, and our blood isn’t as powerful as Derek’s. And they hadn’t been vampires for more than a few days. And, well, there are lots of variables in something like this. I just want you to be aware of the danger, and of the fact that it might not work.”
Sheree nodded. “I understand. What do I owe you for this?”
“Nothing, dear. I just hope it works,” Pearl said, and vanished from sight.
Tucking the bottle inside her handbag, Sheree strolled through the mall, her heart pounding with excitement and trepidation. If she had the nerve to take Pearl’s formula, she might wake up her old self tomorrow. Did she have the courage?
She paused in front of a candy store and inhaled the myriad scents emanating from inside. It was unfair that she could now detect even the most delectable smells and could no longer enjoy the taste of her favorite chocolates. She could smell fresh popcorn wafting up from the first floor, and pizza, and pretzels.
She felt a sharp pang when she saw a mother and child emerge from one of the shops. She would never have a child of her own. She told herself that lots of women were unable to bear children, that there was always adoption, though she didn’t see how that could possibly work, given her circumstances.
Lost in thought, she stood there until a recorded voice announced the mall would be closing in ten minutes.
Sheree was outside, waiting for a cab, when Derek appeared beside her. “Need a ride home?” he asked.
She stared at him, her heart pounding. Did he know what she’d done?
“Of course I know, you little fool.” Grasping her forearm, he propelled her down the street to where his car was parked and practically shoved her inside.